Wings of Glass
by littleAliengrl
Summary: It all started with one kiss. It had only meant to be a distraction just so Jane could get away. From there, Loki's obsession with her grew and grew. Upon rejection, Loki tricks her into breaking the spell on Jane's beloved pet swan. That leaves her with a graceful neck, an alabaster pallor...and souless black eyes. Loki takes advantage of the situation by whisking Jane far away.
1. What Makes a Prince

**A/N: Never had so much trouble making a title for a story. This is only a temporary name until I come up with something better (any helpers? lol) so don't get too attached to this title if possible. :P I had been dying to do a Lokane fanfic for the longest time but lacked the right inspiration. A few weeks ago at work I was finally hit with some inspiration. I had watched The Swan Princess (because why not?) earlier that day before I went to work. While on the job, I couldn't get "Far Longer than Forever" out of my head and that's when Lokane came in. There was just something so attractive about the idea of Loki being the dark sorcerer obsessed with our girl, Jane. It's not gonna follow the story of The Swan Princess or the original Swan Lake tale that much but I will through in some parallels or references to it once in a while if I feel it flows well with the story.**

 **Wings of Glass  
**

 _Chapter 1: What Makes a Prince  
_

* * *

The north star had completely disappeared from sight. Jane sat by the window of her small cottage, sighing a bit as she gazed up at the miles high marble walls of Odinson Castle. Things had been so different- peaceful before _they_ had arrived. They had arrived on the day where they had celebrated fallen warriors once a year. That was when the Frost Giants had arrived. At least thirty of the villagers had died that day and more than half of their homes had been destroyed...all because the Frost Giants had been chasing _them_. Those strange beings had inadvertently led those monsters right to their doorsteps.

They introduced themselves as gods. And with strength and power such as theirs, who wouldn't believe they were anything less? Their quiet village had not had a ruler in over ten years since King Stark had passed without a single heir. Though, Jane's people had been awed by these godly beings, she was among the few who felt her fear nearly outweigh the awe for these gods could just as easily turn their strength and rage on them. She was pulled out of her thoughts when her door was slammed open and shut just as hard.

Jane raised her eyes skyward, summoning all the patience she could muster. "Darcy, one day you're going to yank that door right off of its hinges," she chastised.

Darcy snickered. "You mean like Thor did the first time he came to visit?"

Jane stood up sharply, closing her book and holding it to her chest as she crossed the room.

"It was nice of him to fix it for you even if it did take him a few tries since he used way too much force with Mew Mew." Darcy grinned at the memory.

"Mjolnir," Jane corrected. She shook her head in frustration. "What do you want, Darcy?"

"That attitude is precisely why I've come," Darcy stated, pointing a finger in Jane's direction. "You, Jane, need to relax, which is why we're attending tonight's festivities," she stated matter-of-factly.

The sound of cheers, laughter and music was heard softly in the distance right a that moment.

"They've already started. Let's go!" Darcy exclaimed, yanking on Jane's arm.

Jane yanked her arm free and rolled her eyes. "Those gods or whatever they claim to call themselves really have nothing better to do than throw these parties each night. They should be focusing on real issues within the kingdom not getting drunk off their asses all the time."

"Oh, come on. At least they don't have us pay taxes."

"Taxes or no taxes we've lived peacefully without rulers for over ten years," Jane insisted, walking across the room to place her book back on the shelf, her finger running along the spines of each until she grabbed another one and flipped it open, her eyes running over each word meticulously.

Darcy pouted. "Jaaane," she whined. "I don't want to go alone."

"You should go," came Erik's voice from the next room. He rubbed at his sleep-encrusted eyes. "There's no reason a young woman shouldn't be allowed to have fun once in a while. You're always so caught up in your studies. Take a load off. Go relax and enjoy your youth while you can."

Jane blinked. "What? No. Erik, they woke you up again with their racket, didn't they? Ugh!" Jane glared in the direction of the loud music. "Oh, I'll attend their party alright but it will be to give them a piece of my mind," she hissed through grit teeth.

Erik rubbed at his right eye a bit and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's not necessary. I've gotten used to it." He waved his hand in dismissal. "Besides, it will give me the chance to make more star charts."

"Erik, don't you see that you don't have to get used to behavior like that? Having wild parties every night is ridiculous!" Jane tossed her arms up into the air in exasperation. "I'm going to have a talk with Thor."

Before Erik could respond, Jane was already marching out the door, walking down the dirt covered road. She could hear Darcy somewhere far behind her, yelling at her to wait up. They arrived at the town square to find a ring of people dancing and merrily drinking the night away. Jane could spot Sif leaning against a tree, watching unimpressed as Jane's ex-lover Don tried to woo her. Volstagg was at the table devouring one turkey leg after another with gusto. Jane's gaze perused the area, falling on Fandral sitting on the table opposite of Volstagg with both arms around two comely women. He was whispering all sorts of naughty things from the giggles the women gave him. Finally, Jane's eyes fell on Thor who had been pulled into the human dance ring to dance with a blonde curly-haired woman.

Thor laughed as he twirled the woman around, appearing to be having a grand time for all of one minute until his eyes locked with Jane's over the crowd. He quickly disentangled himself from the woman, the shine in his cerulean blue eyes and pure pleasure on his face seemed to be all for Jane. He easily pushed two people aside to reach Jane in three quick strides. He took Jane's hand in his, lifting it to his mouth, drawing her ever closer to him. His chin stubble scraped against her skin lightly as he kissed it.

For a moment Jane was flustered as he beamed down at her from his impressive height.

"Jane! I'm so glad you could join us. You must dance with me."

Jane tried to control the blush that seemed to always plague her whenever he was around. It's as thought her mind and her body weren't connected the moment she laid eyes on Thor. Oh, how she wanted to be angry and annoyed with him. Focus, focus, she reminded herself.

Jane pulled her hand free, taking a step back and letting out a shaky laugh as she did so. She pushed back her hair away from her face before finally meeting his gaze.

"I'm not umm...I'm not a very good dancer." She cleared her throat before Thor could protest. "Anyway, I only came to tell you that the loud music is disturbing Erik's and others' sleep. I'm not saying you can't throw parties, they just shouldn't be every night. I don't know how things are done in Asgard but there's a certain level of respect and consideration one must give to their neighbor."

Thor stared down at her, blinking in surprise. "Oh...I hadn't considered how others would feel. I only wished to provide a merry time for my subjects."

"Well, as long as we have an understanding, good night," Jane murmured, curtsying slightly before turning to walk off and bumped straight into a very solid chest.

She glanced up and immediately regretted it. Standing before her was Thor's younger brother. Though, Loki rarely attended Thor's parties, when he did there was always chaos. He was constantly pulling cruel pranks left and right. He had yet to pick on Jane but it was only a matter of time. Jane would not give him a reason to turn his twisted sense of humor on her.

"Well said, Miss Jane. I can never get my brother to listen to reason." Loki smirked. "But you seem to hold his attention quite...effectively."

Thor narrowed his eyes. "Loki," he warned.

"Relax, brother. I find it quite...cute that you've set your sights on this small mortal woman."

Jane rolled her eyes. She had had enough for one night. She didn't need to be talked about as if she wasn't even there and she wasn't entirely sure if she even wanted a god's attention...even if her traitorous heart did do funny things whenever Thor was around.

"I have to be going," Jane murmured, trying to side-step Loki but he only mirrored her movement. She frowned and tried to go around him again but Loki merely imitated her once more. Loki grinned down at her. "Please move."

"Why not stay, Jane? Who knows? Chances are you might be lucky enough to warm at least one god's bed tonight," he murmured darkly.

Thor growled, stepping in between Loki and Jane. "That's enough!"

"You take everything far too seriously, Thor." Loki seemed amused. "But clearly, you must know when a woman is not in the mood to dance. She probably already has a lover. Must be quite a skilled one too if she prefers his attentions to that of a god's. I can always escort the lady home if she wishes."

Jane glared at him, fists clenching at her sides. She was not going anywhere with him and judging by the look on his face, it seemed he was actually serious about his offer oddly enough. She whipped around to face Thor, leaving him utterly surprised by her look of determination.

"I changed my mind. I would love to dance with you," she announced.

Thor's face lit up. "Excellent!" He bowed deeply, taking Jane's hand once more.

He pulled her into the human dance ring before Jane had the opportunity to change her mind once more. Thor twirled her around and for once Jane just went with it and completely lost herself in the music. They moved back and forward until their chests were nearly touching. During every half circle they made around each other, their left hands met palms up before switching to their right. Jane smiled when she met Thor's warm gaze, biting her lip a bit as she did so. She could see the flame from the torches reflected his eyes. After the longest moment of openly gawking at Thor, she extracted her gaze from his in favor of observing the crowd.

She caught Loki's dark gaze over the crowd momentarily before focusing once more on her and Thor's hands joined together palms up. There was just something completely unsettling about that man. They had barely spoken more than five words to each other in his entire stay on Midgard. What was his problem? Why was he acting in such a way with her? Despite doing her best to ignore him, from time to time she could feel him watching her from the shadows as she and Thor danced. Jane yelped when Thor raised her off the ground. Her hands immediately grasped at his shoulders.

Thor chuckled. "Whata tiny thing you are."

"That's what I get for not doing as my mother had bade me by eating my vegetables when I was younger," Jane mumbled.

Her fingernails dug into his shoulder as he spun her around quickly in mid-air before setting her down on her feet once more just as the music came to a halt.

"Did I hurt you? I dug my nails pretty hard." Jane rolled her eyes at herself. "Wait, of course not. You're a god. Of course I can't hurt you," she babbled.

Fandral waltzed up them, all smiles as the two women from earlier clung to him.

"Very true, girl. Even if you did scratch him up, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind some scratches on his back, eh, Thor?" He winked.

Jane blinked, surprised to find that Thor's cheeks were pink. "Fandral," he said warningly. "You're just as bad as Loki."

Fandral tossed his head back and laughed. "You know I only tease. Now, ladies, let's head back to my chambers, shall we?"

Jane stared at Fandral's back in irritation. "You can't take him anywhere, can you?"

"Fandral has always been...Fandral," Thor replied lamely, shrugging his large shoulders. "He is a man. Not all men can quench their thirst with just a single woman."

"Can you?" Jane breathed out before she could think. She blushed as she realized what she had just asked her king. "I'm- I'm sorry..." She shook her head. "That was inappropriate. I don't know why I asked that. I-I should really be heading home now." She did a quick curtsy. "I enjoyed dancing with you. Truly. Good night."

Before she could run off, Thor had taken hold of her wrist, effectively immobilizing any further movement away from him.

"I like your directness," Thor murmured, his eyes alight with adoration. "That curious and brilliant mind of yours always astonishes me. Feel free to ask me any question you like." He raised her hand to his lips. "To answer the aforementioned question...yes, it is difficult for me to remain with one woman."

Jane lowered her head in disappointment. Why should she have expected otherwise?

"It's...difficult for me to explain but I feel different when I'm with you. Other women no longer interest me. _You_ interest me Jane," Thor stated sincerely.

Jane's eyes widened. "His Majesty-

"Thor," he corrected, his eyes alight with amusement.

"...Thor, I don't..." _'I don't know if I can believe you'_ her mind whispered.

That was when Darcy came running up to them with two cups of mead in hand, dropping some of it splashing onto the ground.

"Jane! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Darcy caught sight of Thor and their current position. She managed a quick albeit clumsy curtsy, knocking her elbow into a passerby and tripping someone as she did so. "Your Highness. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"That's alright," Jane assured, pulling herself free from Thor's grip. "I was just leaving. I think Erik will probably need help with the maps. I'll go assist him."

Darcy balked. "But-but the party!" she sputtered.

Jane patted her shoulder as she walked by, doing her best to avoid looking back at Thor. "Enjoy yourself, Darcy. You can tell me all the scandal and gossip about it tomorrow," she mumbled.

Jane took a deep breath as she marched forward in the direction of her home, Thor's words replaying over and over in her mind. Her shoulders trembled at the cold night air. Jane reached up and frowned. Where had her shawl gotten to?

 _'No matter. I'm home already.'_

Jane could see the warm amber light emanating from her cottage window.

"You dropped this back there."

Jane gasped as she whirled around to find Loki smiling down at her deviously.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Jane's hand fisted over her chest momentarily before dropping it back to her side. "What are you doing here?"

Loki narrowed his eyes as he drew closer to her. "You toss formal titles in Thor's direction all the time but when I turn up, your manners are no where to be found. Why is that?"

Jane jutted her chin out in defiance. "You've done little to nothing to hold my respect. Though, you may carry royal blood, you sir, do not act as a prince should."

"Oh, and what is a perfect example of a prince in your opinion since you seem to be an expert when it comes to royalty," Loki hissed scathingly. "Thor no doubt?"

Jane froze, considering his question for a moment. "He...is. He's a proper gentleman."

Loki grasped her chin in his hand, sharply forcing her eyes to meet his. "You have an awful lot of courage for such a small woman. You may be a favorite of Thor's but rest assured that I am not nearly as merciful as my dear brother. Continue to defy me and I'll punish you in the best way I see fit. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Jane murmured, starting to get uncomfortable with how hard he was holding her chin.

"Good." Loki slowly released her, seeming pleased with her discomfort. "Now are you off to bed for a good night's rest...or are you waiting on my brother to join you later?"

Jane felt her face rush with anger. "I don't appreciate the lewd comments. Even if he was, why would you care?"

Loki shrugged. "To be honest, I never cared who my brother's conquests were...but you..." He grasped a strand of her hair, long fingers delicately gliding along it until it reached the tip. "For you I must make an exception." His eyes hardened. "Whatever fantasies you've entertained, you will put a stop to it immediately. He'll only break your heart. I've seen it all many times before in my lifetime. Whatever interest he has in you, it won't last. It never does."

Jane stood there stunned as Loki continued to hold her strand of hair. Her mouth opened and closed a few times.

"How...how can you be so sure?"

"No one could know him better than his own brother." Loki smirked, finally releasing her hair. "Warm his bed if you must but don't do the human thing and..." He made a face of utter distaste. "...let your emotions rule you. Falling in love with a god would be a most fool hardy thing to you. I'm sure I can trust that you will think this through logically."

Jane gave him a steady look. "Rest assured, such a thing won't happen."

Even as she spoke these words, she felt her heart break a little.

Loki inclined his head. "Very well, then. I bid you a good night, Jane...Oh, before I forget." He wrapped Jane's shawl around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him with it. "Remember those words you just told me. They could be fatal if you break such a promise."

Jane nodded, unable to look at him as he released her. She watched him walk off for a moment, fading from sight just as quickly. She turned back to her door, hand poised over the door. He was the God of Mischief as well as the God of Lies. Lying should come to Loki as easy as breathing. She shouldn't believe a word he said but his advice had sounded fair enough. Jane did not want to get her heart broken again. Her last relationship had been with Don but that had quickly gone up in flames. When it came to relationships, she didn't have the best luck. If she and Thor were to make an attempt at a relationship, it would not end well.

Jane sighed as she pushed her door open and slipped inside to find Erik fast asleep at his work table, hand still poised with a quill pen. She smiled and shook her head as she removed the pen from his hand and deposited it back into its ink pot. She grabbed the blanket she had left by the window to wrap it around Erik's shoulders. She took one final forlorn look at the giant walls of Odinson Castle. Her north star really was gone and nothing would ever be the same again.

 **A/N: I know it's not as long as my usual chapters from other fics I've been but this just seemed like a natural stopping point. I know this first chapter didn't have a ton of Lokane in it but that will change in the following chapters. Super excited to finally be writing this story. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Plz R/R if you want me to continue.**


	2. Lady of the Lake

**Wings of Glass**

 _Chapter 2: Lady of the Lake  
_

* * *

 _Red. All Jane saw was red as she gazed into the distance. Was it the dying embers from someones' campfire perhaps? Upon sensing movement, the spark of red emerged from the misty lake, revealing a set of shoulders, a slim waist and the most perfect porcelain skin that Jane's eyes had ever beheld. The way the woman emerged so gracefully from the water...was it possible that she was some sort of mermaid? A selkie from legend perhaps?_

 _Before the question could fall from Jane's lips, the red-haired creature turned around to direct a steely look her way. She stumbled back a bit in surprise at the intensity behind the woman's crystal blue eyes.  
_

 _'Help me,' she demanded, a bit of desperation laced into the hard edge of her voice._

 _Jane blinked owlishly. 'Help you? I...What's wrong? What can I do to aid you?'_

 _The woman raised the tips of her fingers against her plump pink lips._

 _'A curse. I cannot say more.'_

 _Jane frowned. 'Then how can I help you if I don't know the details? How did you become cursed?'_

 _'I'm forbidden to even say that.' The girl sighed. 'I've been trying...so_ hard _to reach you through these dreams. I think this is the first time I've been able to fully force my way into your dreams.'_

 _Jane's eyes widened in realization. "I have seen you before now that I think about it. Always at the same lake but I've never seen your face until now." She hesitated, swallowing a bit as she stepped closer to the lake's edge._

 _The woman shrank bank the way small creature might when feeling threatened. 'Don't come any closer!" she cried out.'If you step into the water, it will sever our ties in your dream world.' She balled her hands into fists and narrowed her eyes venomously at Jane. 'Don't ruin this for me. I've been trapped this way far too long.'_

 _'How long? Tell me how long its been,' Jane demanded. 'That much you can tell me at least.'_

 _'Twenty," she whispered. "It's been twenty years?'_

 _'Were you only a child when you were turned.'_

 _The red-haired woman shook her head. 'I turned at the age I appear to be right now. So long as I remain under the form the curse chose for me, I will not age.'_

 _'Who were you before the curse?' Jane neared stepped forward again but held herself back, resting a hand against a boulder. 'Were you someone I knew in my childhood perhaps?'_

 _The woman stared back at Jane but said nothing more._

 _'It's true, isn't it? We've met before.'_

 _'Not formally but yes, you could say we were acquainted when you were younger.'_

 _'What else can you tell me?'_

 _The woman opened her mouth to speak before suddenly dropping down onto her knees, holding the sides of her head as if she were in great pain._

 _"No, not now! I need more time!" she cried out._

 _"What's happening?" Jane shouted, hand clenching against the boulder as she fought from jumping in after the woman._

 _"Entering someones' dreams is difficult enough. Staying inside their dream is the real challenge.' The woman sighed woefully. 'I will be back, Jane. You must help me. I know you're clever enough to figure out a way to free me.'_

 _"Wait! I-_

Jane jolted upright in bed, glancing around her tiny bedroom haphazardly as if she was still expecting the strange lady of the lake to be present. For a moment, she merely sat there staring into space. She glanced out her window to see the cobalt blue of dawn painted across the sky. She groaned. She couldn't have slept more than a few hours at most and now sleep evaded her. Jane tossed the heavy quilt off her body and stood up from her bed to grab the cloak that hung off the edge of the trunk that sat at the edge of her bed. There was still a couple of hours until Erik got up. There was more than enough time for her to prepare their breakfast. Right now...she had the strangest urge to go to the village's lake, the one buried deep in the woods.

She quickly lit a lantern as she tip-toed toward the door. Jane winced when the door squeaked upon opening. She glanced over her shoulder and sighed quietly at the soft snoring coming from Erik's bedroom. Jane proceeded with exiting her cottage, walking down a winding road that led to the edge of the forest. With the soft gold light of her lantern to guide her way, Jane trudged forward. Her bare feet padded softly against the dewy grass. She ducked a few low gnarly branches here and there and stepped over a few logs along the way. She soon arrived at the lake- her favorite spot to get away from the rest of the world to stargaze.

As Jane neared the edge of the lake, she could hear the lady of the lake's words echoing inside of her head.

 _'Don't come into the water! If you do, it will sever the dream connection we have!'_

Jane stared hard at the lake, almost expecting the young woman to emerge from the lake at any moment through the mist like some sort of water nymph. She frowned. That dream had felt so real but could it be that maybe she was taking it too seriously? Was she just being ridiculous about this whole thing? Jane rubbed at her temples, closing her eyes momentarily. She paused her movements when the red-haired woman flashed into her mind, rubbing at her own temples in pain. Her hands dropped back down to her sides as she stared through the mist. An abstract shape could be seen coming toward her. Jane waited with bated breath for the longest moment...and nearly let out a long laugh.

Her swan, Asya swam toward the shore, her graceful neck arching forward in something akin to a greeting. An endearing smile played at Jane's lips, letting Asya come to her. She learned long ago that approaching Asya too eagerly would frighten her off.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

A few moments passed between them before Asya let out a soft honking sound.

Jane reached into her satchel. "I hope you brought your appetite. I brought you some bread crumbs."

She grabbed a large nearby leaf, washed off the dirt really quick in the water before returning her attention to Aisha. She set the leaf down in front of Asya and proceeded to pour a few handfuls of breadcrumbs onto the leaf. Asya stared for a couple of seconds at Jane before waddling a bit closer. She poked her bill at the food momentarily before finally devouring the breadcrumbs with gusto. Jane kneeled a few feet away from Asya, resting her chin on her knuckles as she observed Asya with only the most tender admiration.

"Thanks again...for saving me that day so many years ago," Jane whispered, extending her hand toward Asya.

To her surprise, Asya stopped eating to glance in Jane's direction. What was even more surprising was that Asya had bowed her head. It was rare that Asya ever let Jane touch her head. Jane gently stroked Asya's head who thrust it further against Jane's palm.

"This newfound affection is a bit sudden." Jane laughed lightly."Though, not unwelcome. I'm glad you've come to trust me. Honestly, just between you and me..." She whispered. "You are my most trusted confidante. You are a wonderful listener, after all. Sometimes I do wish we could hold real conversations." She pulled her hand away as she continued to watch Asya consume her food. "Even if we could talk the way my kind do, I'm sure you would just tell me whata silly woman I am, prattling on and on about things that most swans would find unimportant but still, I appreciate your company."

In the distance, she could hear the sound of children laughing and playing. Jane shook her head. If the children were up, then it wouldn't be long before Erik woke up to teach at the schoolhouse.

"Sorry, Asya, I have to return home. Erik will be up soon and I still have to prepare our breakfast. I'll come see you later."

Jane reached into her small leather pouch and pulled out another generous handful of breadcrumbs for Asya. She could hear the familiar soft honking as Jane disappeared into the trees. She found herself back on the path leading to her cottage, thinking back to Loki's warning a few nights before. Her heart weighed heavy in her chest.

 _'He will only break your heart.'_

She hadn't known Loki long at all. Last night was their longest conversation ever since he had arrived on Midgard. Yet, she had to look at all of the facts in front of her. How could a possible relationship work between her and Thor? Of course, he had had plenty of women in his past. He had been with goddesses for crying out loud. How could a mousy little peasant girl ever hope to compare to that? Jane shook her head. She was not going to set herself up for disappointment. She would just continue living her life as she pleased with her star charts, her little cottage, late nights of busom talk with Darcy, telling the village children stories and assisting Erik with the schoolhouse. That would have to be enough.

* * *

Jane turned around in time to see Erik walking out of his room, dressed and ready to take on the world judging by the pip in his step.

"Good morning, Erik. You're in a good mood." She chuckled.

"Of course. It's a new day. We've breathed a new breath of life. And with a new day of life comes the chance for discoveries and new opportunities." Erik set his hands down on top of Jane's slim shoulders. "You are the one who possesses the youth to be as optimistic as I feel. Surely, Jane you must not waste your youth." He squeezed her shoulders gently and frowned. "You're getting to be a bit too thin. Eat more. I command it," he stated with a playful catch in his tone.

"Despite our youth, not all of us can afford to be as optimistic as you, Erik," Jane replied, matter-of-factly. "Breakfast is ready. Come join me."

"Where's Darcy?"

At just that precise moment, Darcy decided to just barge right into their home. "I smelled freshly baked bread from a mile away!"

Erik chuckled. "Right on time. Come join us."

They all sat around the round wooden table piled with loaves of bread, cheese and stew. Jane watched as Erik and Darcy exchanged conversation about Erik's teaching plan for that day as she brought a spoonful of stew to her lips.

"- and then after practicing arithmetic, I'll have them do poems about their dreams for the future."

Jane smiled fondly. "I remember when you used to be mine and Darcy's teacher. You would make us do poems to wake us up from your arithmetic lessons. Those poems did make me ponder about my dreams of studying the stars and traveling the world." She paused for a bit. "Speaking of dreams, do either of you think it's possible to actually share a connection with another person in a dream?"

Darcy blinked. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

Jane opened and closed her mouth several times, laughing lightly as she shook her head. "It's- it's nothing. I'm just being silly I suppose."

Erik frowned. "Come now, Jane. The breakfast table is to show gratitude for a new day, friends and family as well as expressing ones' opinion and new ideas. Please share whatever is on your mind."

Jane stirred her soup absentmindedly with her spoon. "Well...I've been having these dreams for years. Of course, like anyone else I have multiple dreams but there's always this one dream that I have every once in a while. I'm at this lake and I see a figure through the mist. At first I think it's a selkie or a mermaid but then the figure stands up. I see it's this woman with long red hair and with this expression of deepest sorrow. Our eyes meet and this is where the dream usually ends but this time the dream went on longer. She said...she needed my help." She pushed her hair back in agitation, dropping her spoon back into her bowl as she did so. "She explained that she was under some curse. She managed to give me a few clues about herself but nothing helpful enough for me to actually help her break the spell.

Erik and Darcy merely stared back at her before exchanging glances with one another. Jane sighed as she pushed her bowl of stew away and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Forget I said anything. I told you it would be ridiculous."

Erik cleared his throat and shook his head. "It sounds like a very vivid dream. I'd like to hear more."

"I agree." Darcy nodded, folding her hands and leaning closer. "What sort of clues did she give you?"

Jane thought for a moment. "She mentioned that she's been under this curse for twenty years." She heard Darcy let out a quiet gasp at this. "She said...we were acquainted when I was younger but I can't recall meeting someone like her. She looked like some kind of princess out of a fairytale or perhaps even a noble from the court."

Darcy tapped her fingernails impatiently against the wooden table. "That's not a whole lot to go by, Jane. Couldn't you have bothered to ask for more details?"

Jane resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Darcy, she told me she had been trying to speak to me in my dreams for years and that she wasn't strong enough to hold a long dream connection. She also told me that the curse stops her from being able to give out those things." She locked gazes with Erik's. "I want to help her. I just don't know how.

"Perhaps she will come to you again tonight. Even with the curse, there are surely ways around it to get more information. The smallest clues could end up being very helpful. I suggest that you try to get a good night's sleep and hope that she comes to visit you again." Erik quickly slurped up the rest of his stew and pushed it aside as he stood up. "In the mean time, perhaps you can draw a picture of her and around if anyone recognizes her. That might be a good start at a lead."

Jane smiled. "You're right. That _would_ be a good start."

Darcy and Jane stood up as well to help Jane with the empty bowls and plates.

"I'll walk with you to town, Erik. I have to go to the market anyway."

The two women walked through the crowd of bustling people after leaving Erik at the schoolhouse. Jane went to a vegetable stand and picked up a few carrots.

The old man smiled at Jane. "Good to see you, Jane. How do you fair?"

Jane returned the smile. "Quite well, thank you, Mr. Blake. Today I'll be taking a few carrots, three onions, two raddishes and some potatoes."

The old man started picking out the freshest vegetables he had at his food stand and deposited them into Jane's basket.

"Call me Jonathan. Making quite a feast tonight, I take it?" Jonathan grinned at her. "If I may be so bold, are you cooking for the new sweetheart in your life?"

Jane laughed lightly. "No, not at all. The only man in my life right now is Erik. He's been like a father to me so the least I can do is cook for him."

"Ah, it's a shame a lovely woman like you isn't married. I would've loved to see you and my son, Donald married."

Jane kept a tight smile at the mention of her ex-lover. "Yes...well, it seems fate had other plans for us. Excuse me but we must be off. How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, its fine, Jane. Free of charge."

Jane's eyebrows arched high and shook her head adamantly. "Sir, I couldn't possibly accept your generosity."

"Think nothing of it. Business has been fairly good. Use the money instead to buy yourself a new dress. A pretty girl like you should have nice things."

Jane offered a polite smile and nodded in thanks. Just as she turned around to walk off with Darcy, she bumped into a very round belly, causing her to spill all of her vegetables onto the ground.

"Oh, do forgive me!"

Volstagg instantly helped Jane to her feet in one sharp tug, and started placing all of her vegetables back into her basket. He handed the basket back to her and bowed lightly in a sincere apology.

"I truly am sorry. You're such a small creature. I didn't see you."

Jane waved it off with her hand. "It's no trouble at all. Thank you for helping me with my things..." When she noticed Fandral at Volstagg's side looking her up and down, she took that as her cue to leave immediately. "Well, I best be off. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day."

She had tried to drag Darcy away with her by the arm but Fandral stepped firmly stood in her path, giving her a sly look.

"What's the hurry? We would love to have two beauties such as yourselves accompany us for a stroll?"

"No, thank-

"I wouldn't mind." Darcy shrugged.

Jane whipped her head around to glare at Darcy. "Darcy!" she hissed.

"What?" Darcy asked, looking utterly bewildered by her outburst.

"Perhaps you ladies would enjoy a stroll through the palace gardens," Fandral purred, waving his hand in the direction of the white majestic castle. He smirked suddenly. "I know Thor would love to see you Jane. He's missed you, you know."

Jane felt a fresh pink stain her cheeks at the mention of Thor. "Oh...I see."

"These past four days he's felt like you've been avoiding him." Fandral chuckled. "But that couldn't be it, I'm sure."

Before Jane could answer, Volstagg intervened. "Fandral, please, leave the mortal alone. Their relationship is none of our concern."

"Thor and I..." Jane breathed deeply as she searched for the right words. "Thor and I have no relationship. He is my king and I am a commoner. One of his people. Nothing more. If His Majesty truly wished to speak to me, he would have come to find me himself."

Fandral chuckled. "He's unusually not himself when he's with you, my dear. I can't explain it." He leaned his hand casually at his sword's handle. He shook his head. "I've seen him take down monster's ten times his size but with you, he suddenly gets timid. It's all rather amusing as it is endearing. To think that you can bring the Almighty and Powerful Thor to his knees...there must be something quite special about you indeed."

Jane gripped her basket tight in both hands. "That's all very flattering but I'm neither worth of such attention nor did I ask for it. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have to be going. Come along, Darcy." She pushed past Fandral before he could reply. They got back to the path that led to Jane's cottage.

"...Well, that was interesting," Darcy stated. She grinned. "Thor misses you! How perfectly sweet! What in the world are you waiting for you, silly girl?! You should go see him. Fandral even gave us an invitation to go the castle. You should've accepted."

Jane sighed. "I can't.

Darcy appeared puzzled. "Why ever not?"

"Because I...I just can't, Darcy. He and I are quite literally from two different worlds. Any interest he could possibly have in me is clearly only temporary. He's a god. As if a mortal, especially a mortal like me is enough to hold onto a god's attention."

Darcy placed her hands on her hips and huffed impatiently. "Ever since you and Donald put an end to your betrothal, you've been so pessimistic. God or not, Thor is still very much a man who clearly likes you, perhaps even loves you or could love you. Any chance at love is worth the risk."

Jane shook her head. "It's not just what happened with Donald...a few nights ago I had a brief encounter with Thor's brother."

"Loki?!" Darcy's eyes nearly bulged out of her. "D-did you and Loki...? Is that why you're rejecting Thor?! Oh, my god! You vixen, you!" She pushed Jane's shoulder playful with a devious grin on her face.

"What? No!" Jane scrunched up her face and waved her hand in dismissal. "Nothing happened between me and Loki but he did warn me to not pursue a serious relationship with Thor. He said things would end badly for me. He insisted I'd be nothing more than another conquest to Thor."

"The only way you know is if you take a chance on him. Just trust me, I have a sense for these kinds of situations. Off you go!" Darcy gave Jane another playful shove. "Go turn on the charm. Seduce him. Make him fall madly in love with you." Darcy grinned wickedly.

Jane laughed. "If only. Well I'm gonna go do some chores. You had best go do your chores as well before your mother gives you a good scolding."

"She'll do fine without me. By the way, did I mention I'm meeting Ian for a picnic later. "

"Ian?" Jane smirked. "I knew he liked you. I was wondering when he would begin courting you. How long has this been going on?"

"We're just friends for now. I _wish_ he would court me. He might perhaps find me a bit...much?" Darcy tilted her head, giving Jane an awkward smile.

"Nonsense. Go have fun. Turn on the charm," Jane parroted back, looking ever so amused as she watched Darcy walk back toward the marketplace.

Jane stared at the clear blue sky. She was still ahead of schedule. She supposed she could put off her chores for an hour or so to go relax by the lake and spend time with Asya. She made her way through the woods with her basket of food, pushing away a branch every now and then until she reached the edge of the forest. She smiled at the beauty of the shimmering lake, noticing the flock of swans swimming in it, the sun reflecting off the perpetual opalescent sheen of their wings. Just off to the left was Asya- the lone wolf among the flock of swans. The swan almost immediately noticed Jane and began wading toward her.

She picked up a large leaf in her mouth as she neared the shore. She honked a couple of times in greeting as she set the leaf down in front of Jane. Jane sat down in front of a large boulder, waiting a bit for Asya to incline her head so that Jane could gently stroke her head.

"You come and go so often, I wasn't sure if I would see you again so soon. Would you like some bread crumbs?"

The swan gazed up at her for a moment before honking quietly.

Jane dug into her knapsack and sprinkled a couple of fistfuls on the leaf that Asya had provided. She dug in slowly.

"What happened to your appetite? You seemed nearly starved when I fed you this morning." Jane gazed at the other swans. "Why don't you ever swim with the other swans? Now that I think about it, I always see you alone. I wonder why that is..." She gently stroked Asya's head again as she ate. "Are you as alone as I feel sometimes, I wonder?"

"Do you expect that creature to respond to you one of these days?"

Jane's blood ran cold at the sound of the familiar voice. She breathed in and out to calm herself before answering.

"Its not polite to spy." Jane clenched her hands against her knees, refusing to turn around.

A rustling sound was heard and suddenly Loki stood up and walked around the boulder, his cape swirling around him like a second shadow. _'His towering appearance is intimidating as always,'_ Jane thought.

"I was merely taking a nap when you happened to disturb me."

Jane gave him a sarcastic look. "I thought the ground would be too good for someone like you."

"There's that same insolence I've come to expect from you." Loki leaned against the rock as he studied Jane and the swan. "I told you I wouldn't show any mercy if this sort of behavior continued."

"I'm not being rude. I'm merely stating my own opinion. What are you doing here?"

Loki gave her a hard look. Jane chewed the inside of her mouth and begrudgingly added, "...Your Majesty?"

"A very small improvement from the behavior of our last enconter but I'll accept it. I grew bored of the castle, the village...I needed some tranquility."

"So you chose my favorite spot to relax in," Jane summed up, keeping a deep sigh rooted inside of her.

"Oh, I wasn't aware the lake belonged to a mere commoner?"

"It may not belong to me but few people rarely come here, much less royalty. You're trying to get away from people but so am I. With you being here...it makes things obviously difficult for me to be alone."

"What're you trying to get away from?" Loki arched an eyebrow. "Or better yet... _who_ are you trying to avoid?"

"With all do respect, my lord, I don't have to answer that," Jane clipped as she stroked Asya's feathers.

"As your prince, I could make you tell me."

"The answer would only bore you, surely, since you already know the answer."

"My brother."

"...I've done as you advised. I haven't been seeking him out."

Loki shook his head. "Indeed. Yet my brother continues to do so. Whata fool he is."

"Agreed. We're both fools. I'm trying to stay away from him and he's making it hard to stay away by having Fandral tell me that he misses me. I don't want him to look for me or miss me but at the same time I long for it." Jane clapped a hand to her mouth, anxiously glancing in Loki's direction who appeared to be gazing off into the distance.

"Well, you are only human, after all. What else is there to be expected?"

"Right. Everything always comes down to my mortality," Jane murmured. She sighed. "I surrender. I'll leave you in peace. I'll just come back later."

"Did you not say that this was your favorite place to get away from the world?"

"Yes but-

"Then do as you please. If you wish to stay then by all means. Whether you stay or go, it matters not." Loki paused. "I'm curious why do you talk to your pet like you would a person?" he asked, cocking his head to the side, looking thoroughly perplexed.

Jane shook her head. "She's no one's pet. Like me, Asya doesn't belong to anyone. She's my friend. She saved me once a long time ago when I was very young. If not for her, I wouldn't be alive today."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "The swan saved your life?"

"Yes. I don't know how she found the strength to pull me out just by the collar of my dress alone but I owe her my very life. That's why I feed her everyday and talk to her. She's one of the best listeners I've ever encountered." She smiled. "Such a good listener that I can almost believe that one day she'll talk back just as you said."

"What do you think she would say to you?"

Jane thought for a moment "This girl talks too much." She paused, allowing a giggle to escape. "Her head is always in the stars. I wonder if I were to shake her, would star dust fall out of her ears? Just to name a few."

Loki chuckled. "Yes, I had heard from Thor that you enjoy stargazing."

"It's not just a hobby to me. It's more than that. I can't- I can't explain it."

Jane paused. She was actually have a real conversation with the God of Mischief without even realizing it. And she had just revealed something personal about herself. She gasped when Asya suddenly hopped onto her lap.

"Wow, she not normally this friendly with me." Jane laughed lightly. "She only recently started letting me stroke her head."

One side of Loki's mouth quirked up. "Perhaps she feels protective of you."

"Doubtful. If I have nothing to fear than neither should she," Jane said simply, stroking Asya's feathers.

"Let's test out that theory." Loki leaned down and Jane could suddenly feel his cool breath against her cheek. Jane froze at having him so close, instinctively holding Asya closer to her chest.

Before Jane could say or do anything, Asya started honking aggressively in Loki's direction. Loki righted himself, looking amused.

"Ah, so I _am_ the reason she's suddenly protective of you."

"Don't aggravate her like that. She _will_ bite you," Jane warned.

" _My_ bite is worse than hers."

"And the lewd comments are back." Jane sighed. "If that's your attempt at making me nervous or causing me discomfort, then I'm sorry to inform you that I don't get intimidated so easily."

"Yes," Loki drawled, walking toward the edge of the lake. "I noticed." He glanced at her mischievously over his shoulder. "We'll have to rectify that immediately."

Jane snorted unladylike. "You can try all you like but you won't succeed."

"Is that an invitation?" Loki asked as he bent down to pick up a stone. He weighed it in the palm for a moment before tossing it and watching the stone skip across the water.

"Hardly." Jane stood up with Asya in her arms, keeping a good distance between herself and Loki. "I'm curious about something...I've heard all these grand stories about Asgard. Of all the realms, why would you and Thor being gods and all want to come to Earth?"

Loki turned to look at her. "Because once my brother decides something, one can't change his mind. He and his merry band of buffoons follow him everywhere. Midgard is somewhere that he hadn't visited for centuries so when our father, Odin, fell into the Odin sleep, Thor decided to take advantage and go gallivanting off here. I had no interest in leaving Asgard but Thor insisted on me coming. As you said, Midgard is ordinary. It doesn't even begin to compare to Asgard's splendor."

"Somewhere in all that, it sounds like you're homesick."

Loki gave her a venomous look. "Don't presume you know me, girl."

"The fact is that you miss your home, why not just return if Midgard bores you so much?"

"Thor is waiting until our father awakens from the Odin sleep. We won't leave until then."

"How long would that take?"

"A century."

Jane frowned. "You mean it _feels_ like a century for him to wake up?"

"No, when I say a century, I _mean_ a century. The fewest, possibly sixty years or so. It depends on how long he puts off the Odin sleep- putting it off for too long can cause him to grow weak. The weaker he is, the longer he lasts in the dream state."

"Oh, yes..." Jane nodded in deep thought. "Now that I think about it, I do recall Thor mentioning that whole concept to me when we first met." Her eyes flicked to the sudden large clouds rolling in. "A storm is approaching."

Loki rolled his eyes. "My brother and his tantrums. He's acting as though someone has taken away his favorite toy."

Jane really didn't know how to respond to that. She gently removed Asya from her lap and stood up, dusting herself off as she did so.

"Well, I'd better get going. I don't want to get caught in the rain," Jane murmured. She managed a stiff bow at the waist before walking around him. Loki grabbed onto her forearm, making Jane stiffen. Her eyes widened in shock as she glanced back at Loki who's eyes remained fixed on the lake.

"Your feet are covered in scars. Why not wear shoes?"

"...I wore out my last pair recently. I can't afford them right now." She noticed Loki still wouldn't let go. She tugged lightly on her wrist. "Please let go of me, Your Majesty. I still have my chores to do and I'd prefer not to get caught in the rain and catch my death."

Loki slowly released her, finger by finger. He turned around to face her with a look of utter amusement. "That's right. We wouldn't want that, fragile as you are."

Jane took a step back, starting to feel a light drizzle down her back. She lowered her gaze and turned to run off into the woods, feeling Loki's gaze on her back the entire time.

Mortal. Fragile. Is that all she would ever be?

 **A/N:** I found it really hard to find a stopping point for this one. Sorry for the late update. My job has been pretty demanding.


	3. The World, the Moon and the Stars

**Wings of Glass**

 _Chapter 3: The World, the Moon and the Stars_

Here it was. Stark Castle stood directly across Odinson Castle on the far side of the village. It now stood in ruins but years ago, it had once stood proudly with colorful flags and knights standing guard in gold armor. King Antonio Stark and his wife, Queen Pepper were kind rulers who were loved by all. They were not fortunate enough to have children of their own but allowed the village children to freely roam their large, extravagant gardens. Jane had been among them. She had previously considered asking the children now turned adults to talk to her about the Lady of the Lake but most of them had either moved away or had been killed during the recent Frost Giant attack.

That was when Erik had recalled that Jonathan Blake, the father of Jane's ex-fiancée, had once been the royal physician of the king. He had even been offered a room within the castle so that the king and queen could have him at their beck and call. But unfortunately, his eye sight and memory were not as great as they used to be. Jonathan was regretful that he could not offer Jane much help. He had suggested she go straight to the castle itself, agreeing with Erik that if the woman was indeed as beautiful as Jane had described then it was clear that the Lady of the Lake must have come from noble blood. Jonathan added humorously that royalty tended to get themselves into trouble quite often so it wouldn't have been out of the ordinary if one of the previous courtiers had somehow fallen under a spell.

The small yet determined young woman walked among the ruins, avoiding the sharper rocks, scattered broken silver plates and scraps of velvet fabric that once must have been elegant drapery. She made her way toward the wall that held a near perfect portrait of King Antonio Stark and Queen Pepper, looking as regal and majestic as ever. They both wore the signature purple finery that most royals tended to wear. Their hands were intertwined and Queen Pepper's wedding ring sparkled with its dazzling diamonds and sapphires- sapphires that envied the blue pair of eyes that the fair queen possessed.

She had met Queen Pepper once when she was very small. Though, she had caught glimpses of her every now and then when she visited the gardens with the other children, there was one event in particular that had brought them together in a manner of speaking. The queen had lost her wedding ring in the forest and Jane who knew the forest like the back of her hand had offered to help her, finding it at the base of a magnolia tree. Jane remembered that day quite vividly, watching the flower petals fall all around them like snow as she watched Queen Pepper twirl around in delight at having her precious treasure restored to her.

She later explained as they walked back to the castle that Jane had coincidentally found the ring in the exact spot that her husband had originally proposed to her. Just as her hand had been about to touch the queen's ring in the portrait, she paused as she suddenly recalled someone in her memory running up to the castle gates. A sudden flash of red penetrated through her memories like a vengeful dagger cutting through mortal flesh.

 _"My Queen, where have you been?! Antonio will never hear the end of it if he finds out you left without so much as taking me as a guard!"_

 _Pepper chuckled. "I'm sorry if I worried you. I just needed some fresh air. The castle can be stifling at times." She held Jane's tiny hand in hers. "Meet my new friend. This is Jane. She helped me find my ring after I was clumbsy enough to lose it. Don't know how it could've slipped off."_

 _The woman addressed Jane with a curt smile. "Why, hello there, little one." Before Jane could return the greeting, the lady had swiftly returned her attention to Pepper. "You have been losing quite a bit of weight lately, Pepper. Perhaps try wearing the ring around your neck to prevent you from losing it until we can fatten you up again. Agreed?'_

The two women exchanged a laugh before turning their attention to Jane once more. But for the life of her, Jane couldn't remember what the red-haired woman looked like. She did, however, recall a mark in the shape of the crescent moon on her left wrist. Red hair...was she the same woman from her dream? Jane racked her brain but couldn't remember if the woman in her dream bore the same mark as the one from her memory. She sighed in exasperation as she continued to look at each portrait. Most of them had been destroyed beyond recognition. Jane hopped from one stone to another, nearly slipping as she landed. She leaned forward and squinted at the wrecked wall in front of her.

There was a fallen Grecian pillar that leaned against one wall with the same scarlet velvet drapes that were scattered all over the ruins. Just below the tattered drapes was the golden edge of a picture frame. Jane scampered toward it and braced her palms against the pillar. She grunted a few times as she shifted all of her body weight against the hunk of rock. The drapery fell aside along with it to reveal a portrait of five people dressed in their best gowns and armor. Jane instantly recognized Antonio and Pepper, but there were two other men in the picture that she had never seen before. Antonio had an arm around Pepper and a hand on the shoulder of the dark haired man in front of him.

Pepper held the hand of a woman wearing a long black dress. The woman wore a hood so part of her face was obscured but there was no mistaking the few red tendrils of hair that had escaped. Everything from the sweep of her eyelashes to the elegant slope of her neck determined what Jane had suspected- the cursed woman in her dreams had been close to her all along. But how would she even be able to reach out to her even if she were to discover how to break the curse?

* * *

Jane strolled through the front door and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Thor sitting at the dinner table with Erik as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She almost turned around to make a run for it but Thor had instantly turned in Jane's direction. His crystal blue eyes lit up upon seeing her. She blushed the second his eyes locked with hers. Her hair was in a disarray and her cheeks and dress were smudged with dirt. She could not have looked more of a mess if she had tried.

"Jane, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you." The sincerity in his voice made Jane's heart skip a beat.

"Umm...it's very good to see you too, Thor." Jane wrung her dirty hands on her apron nervously. "Can I- can I offer you some water or tea perhaps?"

"Erik kindly offered me some but I declined."

Erik stood up, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea. "Thor was telling me about his many battles. You should hear them sometime, Jane. Quite interesting tales. Well, I'll be in my workroom if you need me."

"Erik-

Before Jane could finish, Erik had already crossed the room and shut the door behind him. She sighed quietly, inwardly cursing Erik before turning back to Thor who was looking at her with the most hopeful expression.

"I have a present for you."

Jane hesitated in the doorway, looking like a wide-eyed lost doe. "What kind of present?"

Thor grinned. "Open it and you'll find out."

He slid the parcel toward her.

Jane walked over toward the table, glancing at Thor before unwrapping the contents. She stared in wonder at the gold satin shoes with small crystals adorning it.

"These are really beautiful, Thor but...why?"

"Well, this is what men usually do to woo the women they adore." Thor grinned sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I have to thank Loki for the idea."

"Loki?" Jane blinked owlishly.

"He mentioned that he'd noticed the scars on your feet. To be honest, I hadn't paid much attention because usually I'm far too fascinated with your face and your rather umm..." He coughed shyly as he gestured at her body. "...delightful form. I also just assumed you liked walking around bare-footed." Thor grinned toothily. "Another charming thing I like about you."

Thor knelt down and grabbed Jane's ankle as he slid the shoe onto her foot. Jane squealed a bit, nearly losing her balance from the sudden action. She watched him quietly, recalling how her mother would read _Cinderella_ to her so many nights ago. She was standing there in a dirty dress but for one moment with Thor staring up at her with so much adoration, Jane truly felt like a princess.

"They look good on you," Thor concurred, still gently cupping the back of Jane's ankle.

Jane gave him a forlorn look. _'Why must you be so perfect?'_

"They're beautiful, Thor, but I must decline."

Thor's eyes widened. "But why? I had them made especially for you."

"I appreciate the thought." Jane smiled kindly at him as she placed her hand over his much larger one. "But they're not shoes made for labor. I'm afraid I'll just ruin them."

"Are you sure that's the only reason?

Jane sighed as she walked over to the window, watching the village children laughing and playing down the road.

"I..." She sighed again. "I cannot lie to you. That's not the only reason."

"Then what is it?" Thor gently demanded to know as he drew closer to her.

Jane turned back to look at him. "By accepting your gift, I'll be encouraging your feelings."

"Do you not feel something for me, Jane?" Thor carefully took her hand in both of his. "Because I... I care most deeply for you."

"I do...I do care for you as well. I can't deny it. But it can't be as anything more than as a friend for so many reasons." She extracted her hands from Thor's grip and raised a hand before Thor could get a word in. "I won't be assuaged and you need to promise not to pursue me anymore." Her voice cracked a bit at the end as she blinked away a few tears. "Will you please do that for me?"

Thor looked sad for a moment before a look of determination suddenly crossed his features.

"I...will _not_."

Jane looked startled. "What?"

"I will make no such promise." Thor took her hands in his once more and kissed both knuckles. "I will wait for you, my stubborn star gazing beauty. No matter how long it takes."

He quickly ran outside and with a few swings of his hammer, had flown off in the direction of Odinson Castle.

Jane was dumbstruck for a moment before regaining her senses and ran through the open door. She quickly realized she was still wearing the shoes that Thor had given her.

"Wait! You forgot your shoes!" She huffed before crying out, "I'm won't accept them! I won't!"

* * *

In the end, she didn't wear the shoes Thor had given her. At the same time, Jane didn't have the heart to throw them away so she stored them away in the trunk that sat at the foot of her bed. The following day another parcel had appeared on her windowsill. Jane let out an aggravated sigh as she marched across the room to snatch it off the window. She weighed it in her hands. It was more than likely another expensive gift from Thor. She set it down her bed and didn't give the parcel another second thought. Jane walked over to the wall mirror hanging over her dressing table. She poured a jug of water into her basin and began splashing her face with it. She grabbed a freshly cleaned piece of cloth hanging over her mirror and scrubbed at her face until it was bright red.

Her gaze wandered back to the parcel on her bed. She hesitated for a few moments before curiosity got the best of her. A sigh escaped her as she weighed the parcel in her hands for a bit, noticing that there was a card attached to it.

 **To Jane**

 **Thought these would come in handy.**

 **From Loki**

Loki? Jane frowned. Why would he send her a present? Perhaps she should throw it away. What if he had sent her a snake or something equally as distasteful?

Jane fingered the card for a moment. She swallowed hard as she started gently tearing away at the package. She opened the lid and stared at the contents. It was a pair of dark brown, unadorned slippers. Jane ran her fingers along one of the shoes, entranced by the soft yet sturdy material. Was this some sort of trick? Would the pair of shoes turn into a pair of spiders as soon as she placed them on her feet? Well, she supposed there was only one way to find out. Jane slid off the bed and slowly slipped her feet into Loki's shoes. She curled her toes inside them a bit and rocked back and forth on her heels.

 _'They're actually quite comfortable,'_ she thought.

Jane bit her lip as she caught her reflection in her mirror. The shoes were perfect for walking and labor. But then again, she would be a terrible person if she denied a gift from Thor and yet accepted one from Loki. After Thor's declaration of affection, how could she accept anything from his own brother? Another important question was exactly why would Loki want to give her anything to begin with?

* * *

After spending so much time debating over the shoes dilemma and not being able to stand being stuck in her cottage any longer, Jane decided to visit Asya at the lake. Jane stood at the shore with a sack full of bread crumbs in one hand. She sighed in disappointed as she gazed at the sparkling lake without so much as a ripple or feather in sight.

"Very nice foot attire, Miss Foster." Loki nodded in approval. "I thought you couldn't afford shoes."

Jane jumped at the sound of his voice, whipping around quickly to see Loki leaning against a nearby boulder. She closed her eyes as she tried to slow her racing her heart. She would never get used to his sudden appearances. Jane glanced down at her feet. In all of her over thinking about the shoes, she had forgotten to take them off.

"I can't. And you knew that which is why you got these for me, correct?" Jane asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"Right." Jane rolled her eyes. "Look...I can't accept them."

"Why is that?"

"You know why." Jane sighed. "It's not that I'm not grateful. I just don't think it's appropriate."

"Are we secret lovers?"

"What? No. What kind of question is that? Of course, we're not."

"Have you warmed my bed?"

"Loki," Jane growled warningly.

"Then there's nothing inappropriate about it. You needed shoes. I provided them. Thor will understand why you chose sensible shoes over gaudy ones. Even he is not that much of an oaf."

Jane was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Alright then...thank you...The shoes should make my chores much easier."

Loki stared at her for a long moment, making Jane shift uncomfortably.

"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you be this polite to me."

"I wouldn't get used to it if I were you but I am grateful." Jane folded her arms behind her back as she gazed at Loki. "I don't take charity from people but gifts should not go wasted, especially something useful."

"Why did you turn down Thor's shoes then?"

"You know why. Even you called them gaudy."

Loki smirked. "Tell me, anyway."

"Because as lovely as they are, they're not work shoes. And I didn't want to encourage Thor's feelings." Jane chewed the inside of her mouth as she clenched her fists at her side.

Loki smirked. "Funny that you say that because it seems the more you deny him what he wants, the more he desires you. I wonder how he would treat you if you gave yourself to him."

Jane growled. "Stop it. I don't want to believe he's as you said."

Loki crossed his arms behind his head. "He is my brother. No one knows him better than I."

"If he's lived all these centuries, surely, he must've known love before."

"Of course he did. He had loves...every night."

Jane sighed. "I can't have a serious conversation with you, can I?"

"I speak only the truth to you, Miss Foster." Loki chuckled. "The truth isn't always appealing. Speaking of truths, tell me one. Why aren't you married?"

"I have to take care of Erik."

Loki scoffed. "He's a grown man who can look after himself. I warned you about my brother and gave you a gift. The least you can do is answer my question honestly."

Jane stared hard at Loki before sighing heavily. "I was betrothed once to Donald Blake."

"I have trouble keeping up with peasants' names. Is that the village idiot or the village medic?"

"Both." Jane's face twisted into a look of annoyance as she blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"What happened?"

"He's not very...good at relationships. I found him in the arms of another woman shortly after we had gotten engaged. I've never looked at another man since."

Loki arched an eyebrow. "Do I take that to mean you still care for him?"

Jane snorted. "That no good bastard? Please! So what about you? Ever been in love?"

"Love is a very foreign concept to me. It's the very definition of vulnerability- something I cannot allow myself."

"So you consider love a weakness," Jane concluded.

"Yes."

"Every weakness is a strength in itself, though."

"If that's true then why did you let the infidelity of one man stop you from marrying someone else?"

"It didn't. I just haven't found the right one." Jane sat on a log near the boulder Loki reclined on and wrapped her arms around her legs as she gazed at the sky. "A woman can't just settle. A woman deserves no less than what she believes she deserves."

"Then you must believe you deserve the world, the moon and the stars," Loki drawled, staring at his nails.

Jane made a face. "I believe I deserve a man who will love me unconditionally and will treat me as his equal. _That_ is what I believe I deserve. What do you think you deserve?"

Loki smirked. "The world, the moon and the stars."

"So you must already have everything you desire then?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe that."

"Why is that?"

"You always look either bored or miserable. If you truly had everything then I reckon you would smile more often."

Loki narrowed his eyes at Jane. "Don't forget your place, woman."

"Come on. I shared something about myself. Why dont you?"

"Why suddenly so interested? Don't tell me all it takes to drive your attention away from my brother is one measily gift?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Don't be so conceited. And I'm interested because you and your friends are obviously gonna stay for a while. I'd prefer it if we got along."

"Why not speak to Fandral?"

"Fandral isn't one for conversation as he is for bedroom activities and you know that."

"Volstagg then? He's the nicest one of the group. He even finds you a bit charming, I think."

"I wouldn't mind chatting with him if the opportunity came up but even if he finds me charming as you say, he makes too many comments about my size. I don't need to be constantly reminded I'm the size of a beansprout."

Loki chuckled. "Well, you _are_ quite amusingly small," he noted in agreement.

"Hush." Jane rolled her eyes.

"There's also Siff. Might be easier to get along with her since you're both female."

"Just because we're both female it doesn't mean we'll get along. On the contrary, I find her to be very intimidating."

"More intimidating than Thor and Volstagg?"

"Yes, it's not just the power and strength she exudes...she's also very beautiful."

"You feel inferior to her?"

"I don't want to put it in those words but...maybe a little bit." Jane bit her lip, shifting uncomfortably. "I notice she and Thor spend a lot of time together. Did they ever...?"

"Have a roll in between the sheets?"

Jane nodded.

Loki hesitated for the longest moment before saying, "No, they have not. My brother has never seen Siff as anything more than an important companion."

"And Siff...?"

"Siff...is an entirely different story." Loki smirked. "She's besotted with my brother. I used to tease her relentlessly about it but when I saw how much it hurt her to see my brother play around with so many women, I backed off and instead started playing pranks on Thor so she wouldn't be so depressed."

Jane smiled. "That was kind of you."

"Not kindness. It was instinct. I've known Siff a long time. We have fought many battles together. She is like a sister to me and no matter how cruel or evil I can be, the last thing I want is to see someone so close to me shed tears."

"Careful, Loki." Jane smirked. "One might actually mistake that you have a heart beneath all that armor."

Loki matched her smirk. "Are you truly that curious as to what lies beneath this armor?"

Even Jane had to laugh at that. "You're impossible!"

Loki stared at her for a long moment, blinking slowly. "You have a lovely smile."

Jane stopped laughing. "Oh umm...thank you." She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. "B-by the way...is there anything I can do to repay you for the shoes?"

"No payment is required. 'Twas a gift, after all," Loki said off-handedly as he removed a speck from his cloak.

Jane pondered that for a bit before standing up and holding her hand out to Loki. He looked taken aback by the sudden gesture as he stared down at her hand.

"Then you have my deepest gratitude...Your Highness." She glanced down, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Loki accepted her hand and used his other hand to tilt her chin up. "I believe it's impolite to avoid eye contact with royalty."

He uncurled his fingers from hers after a moment, smoothing them out so that his and Jane's hands touched palms up.

"You have quite small hands. Delicate and graceful," Loki noted.

"For a peasant you mean?" Jane mocked.

"For a mortal, actually." Loki hummed, placing his hands on her slim shoulders as he held her at arm's length. "Let me look at you."

"You _are_ looking at me," Jane deadpanned.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Let me _really_ look at you." He twirled Jane in a slow circle, inspecting her from all angles. "You...Miss Foster are not entirely without possibilities."

Jane gave him a steady look. "How can you go from being almost charming to rude so quick?"

Loki chuckled. "What I mean to say is that I believe you won't be unwed for long."

"You speak as a God so surely you must see the future."

"Even I do not possess such powers and I do not speak as a God. I speak as a man."

All Jane could manage was an, "Oh."

It took her a moment to realize he was still holding her hand. She cleared her throat and slowly disentangled herself from him.

"Well, I suppose I should get going. I need to start preparing dinner." She curtsied before turning to go. She paused after a few steps and turned to look over her shoulder.

Loki was watching her most intently.

"I don't umm...I don't suppose you would like to join Darcy, Erik and me for dinner, would you?" He arched an eyebrow. "If you don't already have any prior engagements, I mean."

"I did have dragons to vanquish, kingdoms to conquer and a number of damsels in distress to save but...I suppose I could squeeze in some time for dinner." One side of Loki's mouth quirked up.

Jane grinned and shook her head. "I'm sure. Well, dinner will be ready in an hour if you do manage to clear up your busy schedule."

Jane started walking backward a few steps with her arms folded behind her back. "I'm sure you're used to much finer food, so don't set your expectations too high for tonight's feast," she called out, unable to keep the laughter from her voice.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Loki grinned.

* * *

"You're what?" Jane was flabbergasted as she watched Erik pack the last of his belongings into a horse-drawn wagon.

"We're barely getting by as it is. Much as I love making star maps, we don't get many who buy them and there are several villagers who keep skimping on paying me my wages for teaching their children at the schoolhouse. I need to go into the city to make more money, Jane."

Jane glanced down at her feet. "Great lot of good I've done. You should've let me sell my mother's belongings."

Erik frowned. "I could never ask you to do that." He placed a hand on her shoulder and caressed the side of her head. "And you are a great deal of help to me- tending to the crops, cooking, cleaning, making the best star maps I've ever seen and assisting me at the school house."

"I want to come with you."

"It's no place for a woman." Erik shook his head, throwing a knapsack over his shoulder.

"I am twice as clever as any scholar you'd find in the city," Jane huffed, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

Erik smiled proudly. "That you are. What I should've said was the city is no place for a woman as lovely as you. Men are cads in the city. I won't always be around to protect you. I swore to your parents- god rest their souls- that I would watch over you."

"Men are cads in general," Jane counterattacked with a roll of her eyes. "And I have the knife you gave me. I know how to use it. You taught me well. Right between the shoulder blades, correct?" she asked, making a stabbing gesture in the air.

Erick chuckled. "While that may be true, I'll feel better knowing that Thor is here protecting the village." Erik ran a hand through his hair. "The way he looks at you...as if he'd die for you."

Jane blushed, recalling that very look on Thor's face just earlier that day.

"I still wish to go with you," Jane argued.

"Perhaps next year. Just be patient, Jane."

"At least let me pack you food for your travels."

Just as Jane started walking back into the cottage, Erik gently grabbed her by the elbow and shook his head.

"I thought ahead and packed it myself."

Jane bit her lower lip. "How long will you be gone?"

She didn't know if she could bear to live alone for too long.

"I'm not sure. Depends on how much money I'm able to make while I'm there. I'll send you back whatever I can. I will write to you often and I expect you to do the same."

Jane smiled. "Of course." She leaned forward to capture him in a long bear hug.

Erik gave the crown of her head a quick peck before finally pulling away a few moments later. "Take care of yourself," he commanded gently as he climbed onto the wagon, grabbing hold of the reigns as he did so.

"I will. You take care as well."

And with that, Erik tugged on the reigns and the horse started making its way down the dusty dirt road. Jane waved and watched as Erik disappeared beyond the twilight horizon line. She sighed as she went back into the cottage and started tending to the leftover deer meat she was cooking in the fireplace. She paced back and forth, wondering what Darcy would think of Loki joining them for dinner. That was when a knock was heard at the door. Jane threw off her apron and tossed it onto the back of a random chair as she raced toward the door. She opened the door to find Darcy holding a basket of fruit, cheese, bread and a bottle of wine.

"Jane, I need a favor."

Jane arched one dubious eyebrow as she leaned against the doorframe. "Depends on the favor..."

"I told my mother I would be staying the night, not just for dinner but in reality, I want to go be with Ian...alone." Darcy tried to bite back a smile but failed miserably.

Jane smirked. "Oh, I see."

"Will you do it?"

"Umm...well, would it be able to wait until after dinner?"

"I can't. He's waiting for me. Why? Did you cook up something extra good tonight?" Darcy tried to glance behind Jane and started sniffing around like a bloodhound.

Jane laughed, running a hand through her mane of hair. "No, not in particular it's just that I had invited Loki to join us for dinner."

"Wait. What?!"

Darcy had to hold onto the threshold to keep herself from falling over. She gaped at Jane with eyes wide as saucers.

"Am I hallucinating? You're having Loki over for dinner...How did that happen?"

"It...turns out he's not entirely bad. He gave me these shoes today." Jane pointed down at her feet. "I had no way of paying him back and I've noticed how lonely he is at the feasts Thor has during town square feasts so..."

"So you feel sorry for him?"

"A bit but like I said he's...not entirely detestable. I think maybe he just needs a friend."

Darcy guffawed. "A friend you say? You can't be friends with someone that handsome."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Says who?"

"I don't know...society?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Everyone needs friends." Jane waved her hand in dismissal.

Skepticism reflected in Darcy's eyes. "Somehow I doubt that's the kind of friendship he has in mind..."

"He doesn't see me that way, Darcy. How could he?"

"Thor is also a god and he adores you even though you're a human." Darcy paused. "Does Thor know you're both gonna be alone tonight?"

"No, he doesn't." Jane crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "I'm not doing anything wrong. I don't belong to Thor and I can befriend whomever I wish."

"Just...be careful, Jane," Darcy murmured, looking more serious than Jane had ever seen her. That was when Jane realized that Darcy truly was worried about her.

Jane smiled. "I will. Now off with you. Can't keep Ian waiting." She squeezed Darcy's hand. "I wanna hear everything tomorrow."

"I shall! In explicit detail!" Darcy giggled as she raced off in the direction of the woods.

"Not necessary!" Jane shouted, unable to hold back her laughter.

She shook her head and just as she was about to turn to go back into the cottage, she saw Loki walk around from the side of the house.

"Oh, you're here." Jane blinked owlishly.

"Did you decide you didn't prefer my company after all?" Loki asked, a slight smile tugging on his lips.

"No, that's not it. You're right on time. Umm...it looks like it will be just the two of us. Erik left earlier to find work in the city and it looks like Darcy has plans of her own for tonight."

Loki arched an eyebrow. "...Is something burning?"

"Oh, no! The food!" Jane ran back inside and snatched some dishcloths off the mantle. With the dishcloths in hand, she gently moved the pot to set it down on a metal tray that sat upon the table.

She removed frowned at the blackened meat. In a fit of anger, she tossed the dishcloth onto the table with a heavy slap.

"I'm sorry. Looks like dinner is ruined."

"Is it now?"

"Yeah...I feel kind of embarrassed." Jane wrung her hands on her apron. "I have company over and I can't even serve you anything." She sighed. "There's some leftover loaves of bread and a bit of fruit, though if you'd like."

Loki placed a hand on the crook of her elbow. "We can still salvage the evening."

"Salvage?" Jane laughed. "Do you know how expensive that meat is? And the market is not even open right now."

"How do you feel about fishing, Miss Foster?"

* * *

"The moon looks so perfect tonight." Jane raised her face toward the sky, soaking in the moonlight as she neared the edge of the lake.

"Indeed." Loki began removing his armor until he had stripped down to a black tunic and trousers. "Have you fished before?"

Jane snorted as she lifted her skirts and adjusted them so that they settled a couple of inches above her knees.

"Of course I have but like I was telling you on the way over, there's very few fish in this lake."

"They might be very good at hiding." Loki entered the lake until the water settled just above his knees. He gave Jane a sidelong glance. "Or perhaps you just lack the Silvertongue that I possess."

Jane didn't looked convinced. "You're saying you can just _coax_ the fish out of hiding?"

"That is precisely what I'm saying, Miss Foster...Aren't you coming in?"

"I will..." Jane hesitantly put her foot in the water for a moment, instantly regretting it as the ice cold water touched her skin. "Shit! That is insanely cold!"

"Would you rather go without dinner?"

At the convenient rumbling of Jane's stomach, Loki tossed his head back and laughed.

"Yes. I thought so."

Jane huffed and after another moment of indecision, tossed some netting over her shoulder as she stepped into the pool of darkness. She neared Loki who appeared to be waiting for her to stand next to him before they started. He rolled his shoulders and neck around a bit as he hunched forward. His mouth opened and it was like the sound of the softest, most melodic wind had surrounded them. Jane watched in astonishment as the fish broke through the surface of the water in one large group. Their heads were tilted back as they splashed around, deeply entranced by Loki's voice.

"Quick. The net," Loki murmured.

Jane shook herself out of her stupor and threw the netting over the fish. A few had escaped but Jane was more than satisfied with the bundle that she dragged to shore. She glanced behind her to see Loki making his way to the shore as well.

"Can you teach me that?" Jane asked, her eyes sparkling with the curiousity of a child.

Loki chuckled. "You really want to learn?"

"If I can catch this many fish all the time then yes!"

"It takes much practice. But even then, I'm afraid a human could never learn."

"Oh." Jane lowered her head in a disappointment.

A smile tugged at Loki's lips.

"But I suppose I wouldn't mind lending a hand from time to time if the mood strikes me."

Jane smiled. "Thank you. Now lets skin these fish for our supper. I'm famished."

They had made a small fire to cook their meal over, rolling a couple of logs toward it to sit on. They sat adjacent to one another as they watched the embers dance before them.

"Oh, if only the sea was nearby. I bet you could've used your gift to bring some clams out of the water."

Loki chuckled. "Ever been to the sea?"

"No. Never." Jane munched on her fish. "I've never left this village."

"What kind of life is that for a young woman? Never gone further than the horizon. Never been married."

Jane's hand felt around the ground and finally managed to grab a pebble- albeit the tiniest pebble but felt a surge of satisfaction when it hit Loki on the shoulder.

"Don't rub it in! What about you? Aren't you about a million years old? I don't see you with a wife," Jane tossed back at him.

"First of all...I'm not a million years old. Just a few thousand give or take." When Jane rolled her eyes, he grinned. "Second of all. I have no wish for a wife."

"You don't even have anyone you admire?"

Loki shook his head and laughed quietly. "Very few have ever captured my admiration and respect."

"Well...I suppose no one should ever have to settle. I admit I could have married a merchant or a blacksmith and eventually I could've grown fond of that person but it wouldn't be the same." Jane paused to talk a bite out of her fish. "Not without love."

"You humans are all the same." Loki smirked, turning his fish on a stick in the fire as it crisped. "I'll share something valuable with you. Hope dies. Romance dies. Love dies. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be to avoid disappointment."

Jane made a face at him. "You can't possibly believe that." She watched his face for a moment. Perhaps he had been hurt once before. Just as the question arose on her lips, it quickly dissipated.

"I do. Without question."

"You, Your Highness, are a pessimist. That kind of title is the worst of tragedies," Jane stated with great exaggeration as she took another bite from her fish.

Loki smirked. "Say that again for me.

"You're a pessimist."

"Before that."

"You?"

"In the middle." Loki made short gestures with his hands as he paused between words, looking ever so slightly irritated.

"Oh." Jane sighed when she came to a realization. "...Your Highness," she mumbled begrudgingly.

"Oh, yes." Loki closed his eyes and threw his head back in exaggerated rapture. "I love the sound of those words on your lips. Say it once more."

"No!" Jane laughed. "Your ego is big enough as it is. No need for me to stroke it any further."

"Well, if there's something else you'd prefer to stroke..."

Jane huffed and tossed her hands in the air in aggravation.

"Enough with the lewd comments already!"

"Never. There's just something so... _satisfying_ about getting your feathers ruffled." Loki smirked.

"You're insufferable."

"But you don't deny that I'm good company." Loki searched her face, smiling slowly when Jane didn't protest immediately.

Jane sighed. "You're...you're not so bad, I suppose. Your manners still leave much to be desired, though."

Before Loki could reply, a familiar honking was heard from the lake. Jane's eyes lit up with joy upon seeing her feathered friend approaching them. She was running as fast as her short legs could carry her. Once Asya had reached an arm's length distance, she launched herself onto Jane's lap, flapping her wings wildly. She directed her attention to Loki and started honking violently once more.

"Protective of her master as ever, huh?"

Jane glared at Loki as she smoothed Asya's feathers to calm her. "I'm not her master. I've told you this. I could never bind her to me in such a way. She's a free spirit and no mortal soul would ever be able to tame her."

"What about an immortal one?"

Jane glanced up at Loki at the dark edge to his voice. She blinked uncertainly. Were they still talking about Asya?

"I doubt it. She'd fly somewhere far away before someone could possess her."

Loki smirked. "Is that right?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you sprout wings and fly from your possessor?"

"Huh? Who?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "You ex-fiancée of course. You could've moved somewhere far from here and started over with someone else."

"I told you." Jane hugged Asya closer to her chest. "I just haven't found the right man yet. And why should I run away, anyway? I was born and raised here. I have just as much right as Donald to live my life here."

"Donald?" Loki chuckled. "Are you serious? What kind of a name is Donald?"

Jane couldn't help but laugh as well. "I'd never really thought about it but it is quite a silly name, isn't it?"

"Yes. With a name like that I'm surprised anyone can take him seriously."

"I think Jonathan mentioned that it was some sort of family name from his wife's side of the family."

"Jonathan?"

"Donald's father," Jane explained. "He's the only other village medic besides Donald." She smiled. "He's a good man. He would've made a wonderful father-in-law. I find myself surprised time and again that he and Donald are related. He's nothing like his father at all."

"Well, the general theory is that sons take after their mothers and daughters take after their fathers. What was his mother like?"

"I never met her, actually. Jonathan and Donald never spoke of her much."

"Probably for a good reason. At least now you know where your former betrothed got his wonderful personality from."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You say sons take after their mothers. Did you think you took after your mother?"

"...Yes, I suppose I did. We're both magic users. We're both perceptive and logical thinkers."

Jane smiled. "Does she look like you? I'm just trying to picture what a female goddess version of you would be like."

"We look nothing alike at all, actually. I'm...adopted."

"Oh, I see." Jane glanced down at Asya awkwardly.

"I found out shortly before we arrived to Midgard."

Jane's eyes widened. "Must have been quite a shock."

"Yes and no." Loki chuckled mirthfully. "To be the only dark haired one in a family full of golden-haired ones...one would start to grow suspicious from time to time."

Jane laughed. "Well, it explains why you and Thor look nothing alike."

"Thank Valhalla for that," Loki muttered dryly as he looked away. "He's an oaf who does nothing but drink and start brawls. I wouldn't want to resemble him in any form. He's not fit to be king."

"So Thor is the older brother? He's the first in line for king, then?"

"Yes, that's always been my father's plan, I suppose."

Jane paused. She had obviously hit a sore spot. A change of subject was definitely in order.

"Umm...thank you for the fish. It's really delicious."

Some of the hard edge in Loki's ebbed away as he fixed his gaze on Jane once more. She smiled tentatively and he seemed to relax after a moment.

"Your welcome."

"You...said you didn't mind lending me a hand some time with fishing. When can we do this again?"

Loki arched an eyebrow. "You wish to spend more time with me again so soon?

"Yes. On Purpose. Shocking, isn't it?" Jane grinned, making Loki laugh. "I wasn't lying when I said you weren't bad company."

"Likewise, Jane Foster."

* * *

Darcy burst through the door the following morning holding a bouquet of wildflowers. She grinned widely as held them out for Jane to take.

"I just bumped into Thor. He says these are for your table."

Jane accepted the flowers with a heavy sigh. "Stars above! He doesn't give up," she groaned.

"Did you perhaps give him a taste of something he liked?" Darcy waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Jane hit Darcy on the shoulder with the bouquet, causing several petals to fly around and stick to her hair.

Jane laughed. "Enough with that sort of talk. I can assure you that Thor and I have never so much as kissed."

Darcy sighed as she took a seat at the table. "You're gonna die young and at your funeral, I'm going to tell everyone the cause was lack of sex."

"Darcy!"

Darcy sniffed the air. "Is that fish? I didn't know the market had a recent sea food arrival."

"I didn't get them from the market," Jane said as she sat at the table across from Darcy. "I completely ruined dinner last night. Loki then had the idea of going fishing. We- well technically _he_ caught quite a bit of fish. I have at least a month's worth but I don't want them to go to waste so half I'll sell to the market and the other half I'll give to the children at the schoolhouse to give to their families."

"Oh, Jane. You're far too kind sometimes." Darcy sighed. "I could never be that generous, especially during times like these where everyone has to look out for themselves."

"So I shouldn't give you some fish for you to share with your mother and Ian then?" Jane asked, trying to hold back a smile as she cut her fish into smaller pieces.

"Of course you should! Who said generosity was a fault? Please, by all means." Darcy grinned as she sat herself across from Jane.

"Very well, then. I'll wrap some up for you to take before you leave." Jane paused. "Oh, that's right. You never told me how your evening went with Ian." She smirked. "Everything you dreamed it would be?"

"Oh, it was perfect, Jane!" Darcy gushed. "It was the most romantic night of my life. We told stories by lantern light while we feasted on a meal prepared by yours truly. He read me some of his poetry. Worst poetry I've ever heard but he looked simply adorable while reading it. We danced beneath the moonlight and then made love." Darcy squealed as she finished reciting her amorous night.

"In other words, a meal you stole from your mother."

Darcy sighed. "Yes. She gave me an earful about it. I didn't come home until the early morning so she knew right away I'd been properly ravished. The good thing is that she likes Ian and his family. He's going to formally ask her for permission to court me very soon."

Jane's eyes lit up with joy for her friend as she reached over to place her hand over hers'. "Darcy, that's wonderful. I'm happy for you. Truly."

"Aww, thank you. Oh, if only there was someone perfect for you as well."

"I think we both know I'm destined to be a traveling spinster and I'll still be abundantly happy even if that does happen," Jane said matter-of-factly as she lifted a goblet of water to her lips.

"Nonsense! One day you'll meet someone intelligent and handsome and charming and passionate and you'll eat your words, Jane Foster."

"Right." Suddenly a glint of something on Darcy's wrist caught Jane's eye. "Is that new?" she asked, pointing down at the bracelet.

Darcy glanced down and gasped. "Huh?" She giggled. "Oh, yes!. It was a gift from Ian."

She held it out for Jane to see. It was a thin silver bracelet with crescent moons and stars carved into it.

"It was so romantic with him comparing my beauty to that of the moon and stars beneath the moonlit sky." Darcy sighed dreamily.

Before Jane could respond, she caught sight of something behind Darcy's head. It was one of the world maps that Erik had hand drawn himself.

That's when it suddenly dawned on her.

"The World, the Moon and Stars?" Jane whispered, her eyes widening.

"What is it, Jane?"

"The womans portrait was titled _Moon Warrior_. The portrait that had the knights of the king were called _The World's Avengers_ and then there's a painting of the kingdom itself called _Precious Stars_. The world, the moon and stars," Jane breathed. "Loki said those exact same words to me and he implied that he'd been to this village before."

Darcy's brows furrowed. "What are you saying? You think he knows the identity of the strange lady of the lake from your dreams?"

"Well, he's old. Very old." Jane chewed her bottom lip in thought. "Old enough that he would've remembered who King Stark's most important people were- especially this red-haired woman."

"How do you know for sure?"

"I don't but it would make sense for an all powerful being like him to spend some time with royal folk." Jane slammed her palm down against the table, her eyes set in determination. "I need to go find him. Right now."

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's been ages! I deeply apologize for the wait. I hope you guys have enjoyed the story so far even though we're only three chapters in. It's going to be quite the fairytale going forward. Chapter four is already half way written so expect it in the not too distant future.**


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